HIV and Luigi’s journey through life

taken from Luigi’s profile

Si Luigi ang isa sa mga kabataan na hinangaan ko ang tapang. Tapang na harapin ang katotohanan sa kalagayan niya. Tapang na magsalita at aminin kung sino siya. Siya rin si Dying Young. Kailangan ko siyang bigyan ng bansag (Luigi) sa kadahilanang maselan ang kanyang kundisyon. Isa siyang Pusit o positibo sa HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. Ang mga anak ko ang pumili ng Luigi dahil nang mga panahon na ‘yon ay kapapalabas pa lang ng animation na Cars. Kaya hayun, Luigi ang ibinansag ko sa kanya.

Marami akong natutunan sa kanya. Nagpanggap pa nga akong lalaki o pa-men makapasok lang sa isang website para makita ko ang mundo ng mga kagaya ni Luigi na nabibilang sa third sex.

Hindi ko na pahahabain pa. Dahil sa determinasyon ng batang ito na palaganapin ang tungkol sa kundisyon ng HIV/AIDS ay binuo niya ang blogsite na Dying Young: The Journey of a Young Filipino Living with HIV noong 2006, gamit ang snapshot ng dati kong dyaryo noon at series ng storya niya. Naka-post din do’n ang radio interview niya, at special mention pa ako. Salamat!

Kagabi ko lang nakita ulit ang website niya after a couple of years dahil sa pagri-research sa Google. Hindi updated ang site ni Luigi at wala ring commenters.

Susulatan ko si Luigi at ipaaalam ko sa kanya na na may blog na rin si Ate Miriam. Who knows baka maisipan ulit niyang magkwento, ‘di na nga lang sa diyaryo.

Hindi lang si Luigi ang nabigyan ng mukha sa aking mga lathalain. Marami sila. Namayapa man ang iba, subalit patuloy pa rin ang takbo at laban ng buhay para sa mga naiwan na gaya nila.

Salamat din pala sa kay Klasmeyt Tess (editor ko ‘yan) dahil sa ganda ng treatment niya sa pinaghirapan namin ni Luigi.

Minsan sa Facebook, sabi niya miss na niya ang mga exclusive stories namin. Ganoon din naman ako. Salamat sa magagandang memories sa Journal.

13 thoughts on “HIV and Luigi’s journey through life

  1. shykulasa

    hi yami… Luigi is really brave, its a sad fate but his journey is truly an inspiration for others going thru the same ordeal.

    At sis, bidang bida ang mga headline articles mo.. galing!

    Reply
  2. Miriam

    Thanks, sis for the compliment. 🙂

    Luigi is indeed brave to think that he was only 19 when he got the infection. He even graduated with honors. The support of his family and friends has made all the difference in his life. He’s also working doubly hard to inform people his age about this health malady.

    Thanks sis for the compliment. Almost three years na pala ‘yung story. Kahit wala na ako sa newspaper, I still wish to support the info drive against the spread of HIV/AIDS by posting stories that would raise public awareness and generate advocacy.

    Reply
  3. Twinkie

    Yami, saludo ako sa’yo. I’ll drop by Luigi’s site soon. Marami as in MARAMI akong kaibigang Nongnang (ninong na Ninang) pa ng anak ko. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Miriam

    Got this message from Luigi early this morning:

    “Ate Mirriam kamusta na po kayo? Nasa U.S. pa rin po ako, eto busy sa school at sa career. Kamusta ka na po? Madami na po nangyari sa buhay ko, sana makapag-kwentuhan tayo minsan. E-mail niyo po ako don sa personal e-mail address ko: –email and ym ad omitted.

    Siya nga pala, uwi ako sa katapusan ng July. Then punta ako ng Bali, Indonesia for the Asia Pacific AIDS Conference. May ginawa pala akong social network site for HIV and AIDS, visit niyo po siya:

    http://www.youthaidsfilipinasalliance.org

    Pag maluwag na schedule ko, I will look at your site at mag comment din ako. Take care po!

    Hugs,

    Igor (Alex, Luigi, dyingYOUNG )”

    * Mahaba-habang ‘wentuhan ito, Luigi.*

    Reply
  5. lemuel

    Hi, i would like to complement your post, its very touching. i visited luigi’s site pero you are right hindi siya updated. anyway i will visit the site he mentioned above. I do have a concern. I have a gay friend who had 2 tragedies in his life last year. He lost his parents in a span of 1 month to whom he really cares for. He was ok at first but after a few months, he became careless. He is open to have partners and he even posts pictures in facebook. i’m worried about his health, any suggestions?

    Reply
  6. Miriam

    Lemuel, ang kwento mo abt your friend ‘dun sa part na he seems ‘careless’ that he is open to have partner(s), sort of ‘promoting’ himself in facebook – medyo worrisome nga ‘yun.

    If you really care abt him at kung sa tingin mo makikinig siya sa payo mo, why don’t you tell him the dangers of having ‘unprotected sex’ with ‘multiple’ partners.

    Mas maganda siguro if I would ask Luigi’s opinion about your concern anyway siya ang ‘authority’ sa mga ganitong issue. Who knows makatulong si Luigi sa kanya.

    I would email Luigi tonight.

    Thanks for the nice comment. 🙂

    Reply
  7. lemuel

    we are friends since college but he was only open about being gay after we graduated. we are somewhat close but on issues about being gay, its awkward. i tried to warn him about posting “daring” pictures in facebook through a common friend but he got offended and deleted me from his friends list. its sad, but i know someday he will understand. it is just a concern since i often here he has a new partner i think in a span of only a few months

    Reply
  8. Miriam

    It’s sad that your friend had to take it against you. Let’s just hope that nothing serious happens to him after all he is responsible to his own ‘action’. Don’t feel bad at least you’ve done your part in warning him.

    By the way, I’m waiting for Luigi’s response regarding your concern about your friend.

    Reply
  9. dyingYOUNG

    Hi! This is Luigi (a.k.a. dyingYOUNG). Actually, hindi pi Luigi ang real name ko. Kamusta po sa lahat? Thank you Ate Mirriam for keeping in touch. I miss you! If you are free, we can meet sometime. I will be home in the Philippines soon. As of this time, I am in the United States and I am busy traveling the world for my AIDS works. About my blog, yes it is not updated. Actually the original blog contains a lot of articles but I deleted it sometime last year because of an event that had stress me a lot. Then I decided to put it back again. Anyway, I am still here pa naman.

    Reply
  10. dyingYOUNG

    Hi Lemuel! How are you? It’s nice to know that you are concern about your friend but from my point of you, you sounds like you were judgmental of him. Though I know that you are after his security or safety, still, if I am your friend, I might get offended too. Why? It’s because you acted without considering his feelings and situations. I don’t see anything wrong with being open, if you are referring to being open as ‘gay’…so what? It’s his life, it’s his choice! Don siya masaya eh kaya as a friend dapat andun ka to support him no matter what he chose in life. You have to eliminate the mentality or stereotyping that being gay is wrong, that being gay means having a lot of sex with multiple partners…kumbaga, magtira ka ng RESPECT for your friend. Pasensiya na if medyo pro ako sa friend mo. I’ve seen kasi kung pano maging bakla and I’ve been here in the U.S. for sometime. As a person, we are entitled to our rights, including the right to live with freedom, to choose for our sexual orientation. Alam ko nakaka-ilang for you na lalake ka at siya ay gay, but if you are a real friend, walang magbabago sa pagtingin mo sa friend mo. Rather than cursing him or confronting him, why not talk to him nalang about safe sex and living a healthy life? Oh di ba mas bongacious yon! hahaha!

    Reply
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